I play racquetball three mornings a week with the same group of people. Not the same people on the court because there are enough people that we can play with different folks for several games.

Playing with different people is good for your racquetball and your psyche because it can make you play with different skills. Playing with different people who have different skills is even better. And it’s good to play with different age categories too.

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut, playing with the same people every time you’re on the court. You may know what shot they will hit when so you feel as if you are always prepared to get their shots. Perhaps you have fallen into that rut of always hitting the same shot or serve.

It can be more challenging changing up your shots and serves. More challenging for you and your opponent, for you and your partner with your opponents. and it can be challenging playing with people of different age groups.

The morning group has lots of people fifty and older. But that’s the result of playing early mornings when those of a working age are doing just that, working. Throw in a sixteen-year-old who is home schooled and the racquetball can be more interesting.

The sixteen-year-old is fast and we oldsters have to hustle to keep up with her. She makes it an exciting game and forces us to think outside the box. She makes us go beyond what we’ve become used to and that’s good for all of us.

I’m going to try harder to play with different people and vary my shots and serves. And I’m going to have fun doing it.